The Return of Seventeen
by Ali Mystic
Summary: While the rest of world carried on, Seventeen has been living like a hermit in the middle of a forest. But all that's about to change as someone new enters his life. An unusual person so full of life, that Seventeen can't help but be affected by it.


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Author: This fic is rated PG-13 because it will most likely turn into a romantic lime. If you have not read my other DRAGONBALL Z LIVES ON stories, there might be a few points in here that confuses you but otherwise it could be a stand-alone fic. This story takes place between THE MYSTIC SAGA and THE GUARDIAN SAGA. I've done some major changes to my site, so come visit. There's plenty to see, like fanart and plenty to read, like character profiles.

The Return of Seventeen

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PART I

Seventeen led a simple life. He lived in the Black Forest, which lied between Satan City, where Gohan and Bulma's families lived, and Mt. Paozu, where Chichi lived and Goku used to live before he died. He had lived there in a small log cabin since he had been brought back to life, preferring to avoid humans as much as possible. He received letters periodically from his sister about the outside world and although he read them, he didn't really care.

How could Eighteen leave him to marry Shorty? He knew Eighteen was different from him. She understood the humans better than he did. Ever since she'd left, he had refused to see her or talk to her. The only way she could talk to him was send letters and he never wrote back, except for a couple times to say he still alive and doing fine. He had never been more shocked then when Eighteen told him she was going to have a baby. He had never thought they were human enough for that. His curiosity got the better of him and he visited for a brief while after Marron was born.

It didn't take him long to find the island where she had been living with her husband. He had been there once before. Spying from afar, he saw Krillin leave his wife resting on the lawn chair to fetch something from the house. Taking this chance, he flew in, to find Eighteen lying there with a bundle in her arms. Her eyes, when they met his, were tired but happy. The joy he saw in there confused him and made him uncomfortable. Without a word, he approached the chair and peered at the bundle in her arms. 

Seventeen didn't know what he expected. Marron had been a normal healthy human baby, with no trace of being an android. He stepped back, wondering why he had come. And then Eighteen surprised him by holding out the bundle to him. He stared at her, unsure of what she was doing and she stared back, her eyes full of reproach and just a little hope. Hesitatingly he took the bundle in his arms, for the first time in his life trying to be gentle. His sister watched him like a hawk as he held the tiny baby, as if she had been looking for something in his face, some expression or revelation. Seventeen himself had no idea why she did that. But as he looked at the small life within his arms, something within him changed, just a bit, so little that he wasn't even sure about that one bit.

Eighteen, who had been watching, knew. She watched as Seventeen studied her daughter and saw his cold eyes warm slightly. But it quickly returned to it's normal chill when Krillin appeared, shocked at seeing him there. Stoically, he handed the baby to Eighteen and left. She was disappointed. She hadn't seen him in so long. She had hoped he would stay. Hoped they could talk. Throughout the entire time, he had not said one word.

The visit may have seemed pointless to Seventeen but his niece had softened him, just a bit. And he found himself doing a human thing. A caring thing. He sent a present for her birthday every year. But he would not visit. Maybe he was afraid. Maybe he was afraid that his niece would change him more with each visit, with her growth to maturity, as she had changed him as a babe. It surprised him when as soon as she learned to write, Marron began sending letters to him as well, just like her mother did. And each letter ended with the same question: When will you come visit?

But Seventeen would not visit. He stayed in his cabin and worked as a woodcutter and occasionally a carpenter. He grew a small garden for most of his food and occasionally hunted rabbits and deer, only dealing with humans when he had to. He had no friends and did not want any. But sometimes, late at night when he could not sleep, a strange feeling entered his heart and he sometimes wondered what it would be like if he gave in and visited.

And so about twenty years went by. Then, Seventeen received a wedding invitation in the mail. Marron was getting _married_. To _Sixteen_. And they both wanted him to be there. Seventeen snorted as he threw aside the invitation. If he hadn't attended his own sister's wedding, what makes them think he was going to attend his niece's wedding?

Why did they persist in their wish to see him? Why did they care so much? Angrily, Seventeen grabbed his axe and headed into the woods to do some work. Though he could use his laser blasts to chop the trees down, there was something soothing about using an axe. And right now he could use the rhythmic strokes and chops to distract his thoughts from the subjects of his family.

Seventeen had been working for a good two hours when he heard a rumble of thunder and suddenly the sky erupted into a rain shower. Looking up, he was surprised he hadn't noticed the gathering of dark clouds sooner. Gathering together a load of the logs he had cut so far, he started heading back to the cabin.

As the thunder and lightning continued to crash, Seventeen began to realize that with each flash, the lightning was getting closer. He was about halfway home when after a particularly loud crack of thunder, he heard a faint sound under the noise of the downpour. And against his better judgement he decided to check it out.

Heading in the direction of where he heard the sound, Seventeen came upon a clearing. And in the clearing he could make out a figure. A figure that seemed to be dancing in the rain. Coming closer, he could see it was a woman, dressed in bright yellow and red, with a walkman attached to her hip and a set of headphones resting on her ears. Her eyes were closed as she appeared to be entirely focused on her music, no seeming to notice how her soaked clothes were plastered to her body or the water running in rivulets down her bare skin or how her short hair, which was darker than tree bark, hung heavy from the rain.

Seventeen was preparing to walk away, losing interest in this strange yet attractive person and wishing to get himself dry, when the thunder suddenly boomed practically in his ears. Looking above, he saw the lightning strike a tree to the left of the clearing they were in. With a loud creaking CRACK!, a large portion of the tree broke off and began to fall. What he next was on pure impulse.

"Look out!" Seventeen shouted, dropping his load of logs and running towards the woman. The woman turned wide open eyes to him surprise, then glanced up and screamed as she saw the large tree rushing towards her. He got to her in time to push her out of the way just as the tree crushed into the ground, pinning both his legs under its weight.

Groaning in pain, Seventeen tried to push at the tree but found he didn't have enough leverage. Gasping, fell back, trying to think but the pain was already clouding his brain. He heard a thump and glanced up to see the woman had dropped to her knees beside him. She stared at him, worry flooding the gentle features of her face and Seventeen noticed inanely that her eyes were a light shade of brown.

"Oh god! Okay, okay, I'm going to get you out of here," she exclaimed. "Somehow."

Seventeen wanted to laugh but the pain his legs kept him from doing so. What could a weak human like her do to get him out of this situation? Muttering to herself, the woman out of his field of vision. Turning his attention back to the tree pinning his legs, he once again tried to move. He cried out as the pain suddenly sharpened and then everything went dark.

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He was warm, dry, and the surface beneath him was soft. So he wasn't out in the rain anymore. But why was there a dull ache in his legs. Seventeen tried to remember the last thing that happened to him and found he couldn't. Suddenly he heard a door open and opening his eyes, found himself on a bed in a room he didn't recognize. Turning his head, he saw a young brunette woman set down a tray and suddenly his memory returned. This was the woman that was dancing out in the rainstorm and his legs ached because a tree fell on him.

The woman glanced at him and her eyes widened in surprise. "You're awake! The doctor said you should regain consciousness soon but I wasn't so sure. I'll go fetch him and let him know. I'm so glad you awoke. I was worried." And with that, she hurried out the door before Seventeen could stop her to question her.

He didn't have to wait long. She returned within moments with a middle-aged man he recognized as the doctor in a village he'd delivered wood to before. He knew where he was now. But how did he get here? How did that woman get that tree off his legs?

The doctor approached the bed and flipped back the covers to reveal Seventeen's legs were bandaged and splinted. The doctor talked as he checked him over, his voice low and deep.

"Well, young man, how do we feel this morning? You've been unconscious for two days but you were probably better off that way while I reset your legs. You won't be able to walk for some months but you should count yourself lucky to be alive at all. If it weren't for Raina here, you probably wouldn't be."

The woman, who Seventeen realized was Raina, looked down, hiding her face. "If it wasn't for me, he probably wouldn't have gotten hurt at all."

Seventeen stared at her. "What were you doing dancing in the rain anyway?"

She glanced up. "Wouldn't you rather want to know how I got you out from under that tree?"

Seventeen knew she was being evasive but decided not to call her on it. "How did you?"

"I dug a hole beneath you and then pulled you out. I couldn't carry you, so I made a makeshift stretched and well, dragged you here."

Seventeen decided he would have to do a reevaluation of what he thought of this woman. His thoughts were interrupted when the doctor began to speak again.

"Well, you don't have any head injuries. So you can go home anytime you wish. But I wouldn't advice it, unless you have someone to help you out 'til those legs heal."

Seventeen frowned. "I live alone. And I prefer it that way."

It was the doctor's turn to frown as Seventeen sat up, his intention to leave plain. Before an argument could break out, a voice made them pause.

"I could take care of you. I've done some nursing in the past and I wouldn't mind. It's the least I could do. After all, you saved my life."

Saving a life was a concept that Seventeen was unaccustomed to. Seventeen's frown deepened. And the idea of having this person, any person, living with and taking care of him was unappealing. Raina noticed the expression on his face.

"Look, I know you said you prefer to alone but think about this for a minute. Both your legs are broken. You'll need a wheelchair just to get around. I can stay and help out 'til you're back on your feet. It's just for a few months, alright?"

Even though she had made some good points, Seventeen wasn't ready to give in just yet. "I don't even know who you are."

The young woman stuck out her hand. "My name is Raina Bantes. And I'm a dancer. I usually travel with my dance troupe but I decided to take a vacation and see some nature. Visiting city after city gets a little monotonous after awhile."

Seventeen ignored the hand she held out. "Won't you dance troupe need you during those months? They don't expect you to take that long of a vacation, do they?"

Raina shrugged. "I'll send them a letter. They can do without me for awhile."

Seventeen looked down, staring hard at the casts on his legs. Why the hell had he saved this woman? Why didn't he just shout a warning? Why didn't he walk away sooner? Why did he investigate the sound in first place?

"You know, why don't you take her on a trial basis? After two weeks, if you two can't stand each other, I'll send someone else in her stead. I'm sure I can find a willing person in the village," suggested the doctor.

Seventeen glanced up at the expectant faces and sighed inwardly in resignation. "Alright. I agree to your suggestion. Two weeks trial. But I must tell you, I'm not looking to make or be nice. I just want my legs to heal and be left to myself again."

Raina tilted her head as she studied the young man on the bed. "If you're trying to scare me off, it won't work. I think I've already got the hint you're the loner type. And that you probably won't change for the better any time soon."

Seventeen glared, beyond irritated. He didn't think he'd be able to stand having this woman around for two days, let alone two weeks.

"It's settled then," the doctor rushed to say. He was probably afraid Seventeen would change his mind and he really didn't want to be stuck with such a ill-tempered patient until he could find another person willing to be a nurse for him.

Seventeen and Raina gave each other one last measuring look, then Raina left the room. _Oh yeah_ thought Seventeen to himself as the doctor began to discuss his injuries. _The next few weeks are going to be torture._


End file.
